KAPOCHE Constituency PF secretary Stephen Tembo says the party has a lot to do in readiness for 2021 polls.
Tembo says people that don’t vote have no right to comment on elected leaders because they never took part in selecting those leaders.
In an interview, Tembo said the 2016 general elections out of which PF emerged victorious over the UPND with a tight margin gives the ruling party party a task to work tirelessly towards 2021.
He said the UPND was a major threat on the political ground.
Tembo said the PF was certain on Edgar Lungu being their presidential candidate for 2021 and that having an alternative candidate would just bring confusion.
“Lungu is doing fine and I see no reason to rule him out. We have seen that Chagwa has been doing fine across the country as he doesn’t have scandals. So to start having an alternative candidate for 2021 is bringing confusion in the party. We don’t want internal wrangles because so far we have a great battle against UPND, we don’t want other headaches from the party,” Tembo said. “We have a democratic war with UPND and that is our battle for now. We shouldn’t debate on Lungu’s eligibility as the court already ruled that Lungu is illegible to contest in 2021.”
Tembo, who is also Chingombe ward councillor, emphasized that the PF needs to prepare a lot against the UPND.
“Our task is to sell the party in government to the people. We have to convince the people that PF under Chagwa has delivered and not to entertain internal differences as that will divert our agenda to win 2021 election. PF is not bad. Currently PF has delivered and it should be given few more years to complete the mission,” he said.
Tembo said the ruling party does not mind if people would go for UPND in 2021 democratically but that they should expect more problems than they have with the PF government.
“If UPND wins democratically, we don’t mind but I can assure you and the people that economically they will spoil the nation. There is nothing new they can offer to the Zambians as people will face more hell if they decide to rule out PF under President Edgar Lungu,” Tembo said.
Asked why PF was much more concerned with UPND than other political parties, Tembo said the opposition party had a force compared to other political parties.
“If you check 2016 elections, we challenged UPND with a slight margin, a situation which tells us that if we don’t prepare enough, we could be challenged because we don’t know how much they have prepared too,” he said. “We see that UPND has a force compared to these other political parties. We can’t waste time with little political parties, we have to face and focus on a giant in our political landscape which is UPND.”
Tembo said UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema would campaign in Eastern Province due to democracy the nation has but that the ground would tell him that the people in the region were convinced and baptised with PF works.
“HH will campaign in Eastern Province but to no avail because Eastern Province is certain for Lungu. Easterners are more democratic than Southerners. We are solemnly behind Edgar Lungu for 2021. No reason to substitute him, he is still a player on the pitch and playing well,” Tembo said.
He urged youths to acquire NRCs and voters’ cards in readiness for 2021 elections.
Tembo said people that don’t vote have no right to comment on elected leaders because they never took part in selecting those leaders.
“Everyone has a legal right to vote as long as they are of age. That’s why I challenge youths to vote in 2021 because they are known for not voting but again being abusive in criticising leaders. So if you want to have a say on leaders, take part in elections because it gives you power to say how you want things to be. If you don’t vote then don’t comment on the elected leaders,” he said.
Tembo challenged Easterners to copy from Southern Province where every child of voting age has an NRC and voters’ card and on the voting day they all go and cast their vote for their preferred candidate.
“In Southern Province, they take voting seriously starting from a child to the aged; they know the power of voting, they vote and that’s where they challenge us. I appeal that let’s go the Southern way; get NRCs, get voters’ cards and let’s go in numbers to vote for Edgar Lungu in 2021. We are not tribal in Eastern but they will teach us to vote on wako ni wako,” Tembo said.
He said anyone who says PF has not done anything in Kapoche and the nation is blind and deaf.
“We have delivered both here and the nation at large. If one says there is no development in Kapoche Constituency then they are blind and they can’t see. They are deaf that they can’t hear but so far under Dr Charles Banda, Kapoche has well received development. People talk well of PF, people talk well of Dr Banda and people talk well of the President. Come 2021 we are taking the lead again,” said Tembo.
Recently, Petauke based PF member Mutale Katongo said there was need to have an alternative presidential candidate for 2021 in case President Lungu is prevented from contesting having been elected and sworn to twice.